Wednesday, March 12, 2008

A day trip to Singapore, a job interview

Good start to power sharing as PKR, DAP, PAS discuss win-win solutions.
"He told me, a mad gleam in his eye, that we were going to get there. And this time, I had no doubt that we would."


This was to have been my last piece for Singapore's mypaper, the daily I've been writing for throughout the two weeks or so of the PRU12 period. It was published yesterday. The Star has a different take on its front page today, Parties find themselves in a quandary trying to form governments.

I was in the republic for a day trip yesterday. Drove a fellow blogger there for his job interview but he's no longer that enthusiastic about the prospect of working there as he was before the election. It's a brand new era in Malaysia, he said. "There doesn't seem to be a good reason any more to leave and work elsewhere."

While he attended his two-hour interview, I met a nephew and an old friend from a computer firm, and was interviewed by the National University of Singapore, which is conducting a research to gauge the influence of blogs and the Net in last week's General Election. (They were supposed to interview me in KL but since I was in Singapore, we decided to have it there). The varsity will be talking to YB Jeff Ooi, and I have given them a couple of other names to contact. RPK and Haris Ibrahim , many would agree, helped make the difference in this election. [Click here for Malik Imtiaz on Haris: "He told me, a mad gleam in his eye, that we were going to get there. And this time, I had no doubt that we would."]

After his interview, we had tea with an editor from the mypaper. I've agreed to write a weekly column for them on Malaysia, starting soon. Will let you know.

21 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:25 am

    Rocky,

    I believe Lee Kuan Yew regime will also take a more strict action on bloggers in Singapore

    ReplyDelete
  2. hopefully our great tolerance for mediocrecity over the last 50 years can be changed , as otherwise we will still be behind all our up and up neighbours altho race/religious issues will still be an unsolvable major stumbling block

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:11 am

    HA HA HA HA HA! Who's the Spore agent now?! Talam...talam ...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous11:20 am

    So you, too, being wooed by the Singapore establishment? I'm slightly bemused, considering how you've ranted on about Singapore elements in the Pak Lah administration. Just be wary of the red dot, even though you were born there. I don't trust them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. OMG! the singgies bought ROCKY!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous12:00 pm

    Lim Guan Eng of Penang selects an Indian and Malay as his deputy chief ministers. That's the Malaysian spirit.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous12:02 pm

    rocky bro... it's nice to see you going back to writing regularly.. :)

    once again, we live in exciting times eh? :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous12:26 pm

    Kang Rocky,

    I thought the same with Attila too.Whats with Mypaper?. Are they independent? Or another PAP mouthpiece like Straits Times.Can there be independent press in Singapore?

    tanya saje.... jangan mareh...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous12:44 pm

    Another blogger, I believe, who made a hugh impact on raising political awareness among younger generation is none other then Mr. Kenny Sia (kennysia.com).

    He might not be a political blogger but his writings manage to reach readers who otherwise will never visit any political blog.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous12:46 pm

    Congratulations Rocky..on the "official" status granted by NUS for the interview..ie. being one of the bloggers effectively influencing our nation's political history! Malik, Haris, Jeff, Elizabeth - all deserve it too.
    Looking forward to your column here in Singapore, good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous1:00 pm

    Rocky
    The headline is arresting and mischievous. But after reading the "full" story, I'm quite relieved. Phewww ...
    aMiR

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous2:16 pm

    Selling out too Rocky? What a shame. But of course, you have a thing or two to teach the Singaporeans so that's ok.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous3:01 pm

    Internet and SMS democracy!

    Next victim: the PAP and its
    "high income" Ministers?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous3:20 pm

    Bang, lu kencing lah baaang. Dulu bukan main kutuk Singapor. Skarang abang sekongkol. OK takpe, takpe. Janji duit banyak kan?: Joji

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous3:38 pm

    expect more negative news about the new state government from now till the next election.
    think haris should seize the momentum and give FPT a big push.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous3:58 pm

    Read the following reports on the Malaysian elections in today's Spore Straits Times, Mar 12:

    "Battle lost in cyberspace"

    "Anwar plotting opposition's next move"

    The ST website:
    http://www.straitstimes.com

    Go to the link to "Free Stories" to read these reports.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous5:51 pm

    Rocky,

    After reading your 'posting ' about going to Istana Negara last monday morning and at about the same time you were on the way to SIN, I am beginning to wonder who
    you are ?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hey Rocky, if the MSM, and the country that you love cannot or afraid to give you a column or offer you a job, well take what you can, you have a family to look after!
    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anon 5.51pm wrote
    Rocky,
    After reading your 'posting ' about going to Istana Negara last monday morning and at about the same time you were on the way to SIN, I am beginning to wonder who
    you are ?
    5:51 PM
    --------

    Don't worry, there aren't two of me. I went to Spore yesterday, set off about 8 am, friend's the interview at 2, had tea with mypaper about 5, and reached the Press Club about 10.30pm, just before the kitchen closed (at 11pm).

    The "Please Go" protest was on Monday, 9 am. Couldn't make it because I was only told about it about 11.30pm the night before and I had plans with the kids.

    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous9:31 pm

    Wah, Pak Rocky

    The next thing you know is that you will be invited to the Istana in Singapore for a chat with the MM. He will want to find out your take on developments in Malaysia.

    An invitation for a chat with the Spore MM is like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval!

    Just kidding, lah!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous9:43 pm

    hey! your blog is really cool! can we exchange links?
    i have added you hope you do the same

    ReplyDelete